Joss Stone

Joss Stone emerged in her teenage years with a commanding vocal presence and an approach steeped in classic soul traditions, then sustained a lengthy trajectory marked by surprising shifts in direction. The British vocalist first built a loyal following across Britain and other countries through fresh takes on timeless soul numbers, later broadening that reach via her own songwriting skills and a willingness to venture into territories well beyond her initial R&B foundation. Her 2003 debut, The Soul Sessions, moved more than five million units globally and paved the way for wider recognition with the 2004 release Mind, Body & Soul, a number-one album that earned Grammy nominations across several categories, among them Best New Artist, while also securing two BRIT Awards. Standout moments in Stone’s subsequent work include the 2007 album Introducing Joss Stone, which came close to claiming the top spot on the U.S. chart; the 2012 collection The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2, which entered the Top Ten in both the U.K. and U.S.; and Never Forget My Love from 2022, one of two solo projects she completed alongside Dave Stewart. An enthusiastic collaborator, Stone has further enriched her catalog through partnerships with figures such as Betty Wright, Raphael Saadiq, and Jonathan Shorten. Her joint effort with John Legend and Van Hunt on a version of Sly & the Family Stone’s “Family Affair” earned Stone a Grammy, while a featured role on Jeff Beck’s rendition of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You” produced another nomination.

Born Joscelyn Eve Stoker in 1987, Joss Stone spent her early years in Kent and Devon, absorbing the music of American soul and R&B legends, above all dynamic singers like Aretha Franklin. Her vocal abilities matured rapidly enough to secure first place, at age 14, in a BBC singing contest. Local producers spotted her gift and reached out to Steve Greenberg, head of the EMI-distributed S-Curve label, who brought her to New York City for an audition. Stone won Greenberg over with her performance of Donna Summer’s “On the Radio,” leading to a recording contract. With her parents’ approval, she left school, adopted a stage name, and prepared for life in the spotlight.

Soul veteran Betty Wright participated in Stone’s initial sessions, acting at once as mentor, co-producer, and backing singer. Little Beaver, Timmy Thomas, Angie Stone, and the Roots likewise contributed to the tracks assembled for the 2003 debut The Soul Sessions. That project was recorded during April and May, then issued four months afterward under pressure from an enthusiastic label eager to introduce its rising neo-soul prospect. The album succeeded, climbing to number four in the U.K. and number 39 in the U.S. while attaining multi-platinum status. “Fell in Love with a Boy,” a reworking of the White Stripes’ “Fell in Love with a Girl,” reached number 18 on the U.K. pop chart, as did the next single, “Super Duper Love,” a refreshed take on Sugar Billy’s 1975 release. The all-covers set also included songs associated with Wright, Aretha Franklin, and Waylon Jennings.

Stone’s follow-up, Mind, Body & Soul, placed greater emphasis on original material. Twelve of its fourteen tracks were written or co-written by the singer, who became the youngest woman to top the U.K. album chart when the album appeared in September 2004. Four singles from the project reached the U.K. Top 20, and it peaked at number 11 in the U.S. Mind, Body & Soul later earned platinum certification in several territories. The release brought Grammy nominations for Best New Artist, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, plus BRIT Awards for British Urban Act and British Female Solo Artist. Stone next joined John Legend and Van Hunt for the 2005 Sly & the Family Stone tribute Different Strokes by Different Folks; their take on “Family Affair” captured a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.

Stone moved first to Barbados and then to the Bahamas to write and record her third album for Virgin. Introducing Joss Stone, helmed by Raphael Saadiq, showed her exploring contemporary R&B textures. Released in March 2007 with guest spots from Lauryn Hill and Common, the set reached number 12 in the U.K. and number two in the U.S., eventually surpassing one million copies worldwide. Lead single “Tell Me ’Bout It” marked her seventh U.K. Top 40 appearance. A dispute with EMI postponed the arrival of her fourth album, Colour Me Free!, until October 2009. Jonathan Shorten and Conner Reeves served as primary partners on the project, which also drew input from Saadiq, David Sanborn, Sheila E., and Nas. Anchored in a retro sensibility, Colour Me Free! received minimal marketing—only a single track was issued—yet still debuted at number ten in the U.S. and number 75 in the U.K. Around the same period, Stone’s acting profile rose through a two-season role as Anne of Cleves on The Tudors.

After appearing on releases by Jeff Beck, Tower of Power, and Ringo Starr—the first of those yielding a Grammy-nominated cover of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins’ “I Put a Spell on You”—Stone resumed her solo work as an independent artist once her EMI obligations ended. She marked the change by establishing her own imprint, Stone’d Records, in association with U.S. indie Surfdog. Stone enlisted Dave Stewart to co-write and co-produce her next record; the pair began working together in 2009 and spent time in Nashville, where they completed 2011’s LP1 (number 36 U.K., number nine U.S.) in six days. That partnership also brought Stone into SuperHeavy, a supergroup featuring Mick Jagger and Damian Marley, whose self-titled debut arrived the same year. Shortly afterward she rejoined S-Curve, now under Warner distribution, for The Soul Sessions, Vol. 2, a set of soul covers that echoed the tone and spirit of her first album. Issued in July 2012, the collection reached the Top Ten in both the U.K. and U.S. Stone’s seventh album, Water for Your Soul, was initially described as a reggae-focused effort but ultimately blended hip-hop, R&B, and pop as well. Written largely by Stone and Jonathan Shorten with contributions from SuperHeavy colleague Marley and dub pioneer Dennis Bovell, it appeared in July 2015, peaking at number 13 in the U.K. and number 34 in the U.S.

Stone later joined another international endeavor, Project Mama Earth, a one-time studio collaboration with Shorten, Jonathan Joseph, Nitin Sawhney, and Étienne M’Bappé. Their sole release, Mama Earth, surfaced in 2017. Stone had launched an extensive world tour in 2014 that continued into new markets through 2019. In 2021 she claimed victory in the second series of the U.K. edition of The Masked Singer under the persona Sausage. The following February she issued Never Forget My Love, a distinctly R&B-centered album that brought her back together with Dave Stewart. Later in 2022 Stone delivered the holiday collection Merry Christmas, Love, introduced in September by the singles “What Christmas Means to Me” and “Bring on Christmas Day.”